A little more than halfway through his debut campaign in Toronto, we’ve come to know a few things about Jonathan Bernier.

We know he’s edged out James Reimer in the battle for the faith of Randy Carlyle, the Leafs head coach who has named Bernier the starter in 59 per cent of games, including seven of the past eight. We know Bernier was at least in the discussion to be named to Canada’s Olympic roster; Bernier said Friday that he received an email from a Hockey Canada official in the wake of Tuesday’s team announcement urging him to remain ready in case of emergency (read: injury).

“You never know,” Bernier said of the Olympics. “So I’ve got to stay focused and keep doing the good things I’m doing and be consistent in my game.”

Still, as good as he’s been — his .925 save percentage put him eighth among NHL goaltenders heading into Saturday’s action — we also know he’s nobody’s miracle man. In his 27 starts the Leafs have a put up a 12-12-3 record.

What we don’t know is this: Is he cut out to handle his newfound workload in the long run? Already this season Bernier has appeared in more games (32) than he did in the previous two seasons combined as a backup with the Los Angeles Kings. And while playing for the elite Kings offered a relatively sedate existence, being the last line of defence in Toronto is heavier lifting. Bernier faced 25 or fewer shots in 18 games in L.A. the previous two seasons. This year he has faced 25 or fewer shots exactly once. He has faced 40 or more shots seven times and 50 shots once.

“Sometimes you face two games in one night,” Bernier said, speaking of the reality of manning the crease for a team that surrenders an NHL-high 36.4 shots a game.

As much as Bernier was smiling when he said those words, it’s worth asking: Is the grind wearing him down? After all, Bernier has never faced so much work in so little time as a pro.

“I try to take care of myself,” Bernier said. “We have a great staff here. That’s the only way I can stay fresh. But my body feels good right now.”

Still, his game has shown a vulnerability to wear. In the seven starts in which he has been allowed three or more days of rest, Bernier has put up a stellar .952 save percentage. With two or fewer days of rest, he has stopped pucks at the far less impressive rate of .913.

Bernier has also suffered some letdowns late in games that may or may not be attributable to fatigue. Some 41 per cent of the goals he has allowed have come in the third period, according to Randy Robles of the Elias Sports Bureau, a number far higher than the league average of 31.7 per cent (excluding empty netters) and one that could certainly be influenced by the Leafs’ overall penchant for late-game passiveness.

All of it should give the Leafs pause in their recent wont to hand him the vast majority of starts. Backup James Reimer didn’t exactly make a strong case for his relevance in his most recent appearance in the lineup, a 6-1 loss in Carolina, although his teammates put in a shamefully lacklustre performance in front of him. But while Reimer’s numbers took a hit — his save percentage fell from .923 to .918 in one night — he also hadn’t had a start in 19 days. Certainly he’s lived through repeated disappointments and remained upbeat.

Some outside the organization have spoken the names of Bernier and Reimer in the same breath, as though they’re comparable talents. In the CBC mini-documentary on the selection of the men’s Olympic team, executive director Steve Yzerman is heard mulling the goaltending candidates beyond the final three of Carey Price, Mike Smith and Roberto Luongo.

“Bernier and Reimer have both been really good,” Yzerman says in one of the roundtable discussions with his management group.

If there’s a clear preference for Bernier in Toronto, it’s almost as though Reimer has become immune to the organizational disbelief.

“I think you’re always going to have doubters,” Reimer said this week. “Sometimes you use it to push you. And sometimes you let it slide off your back like it’s nothing. I think the most productive thing to do is just not think about it. Because you can use a negative to motivate you, and that works for the time being, but you can never let that be what motivates you fully.”

Bernier knows the feeling of playing scarce minutes, of course, and he’s relishing his turn as a clear-cut No. 1.

“Definitely feel a lot more confident in there,” Bernier said. “Now it’s get my routine and establish my routine every day and every night. I knew coming in this season my challenge would be consistency. Not playing a lot the last three years, mentally it’s tough for a goalie to be sharp every night. But that’s something I focus on every night, to be consistent.”

The truth is, of course, that even a beefed-up goaltending corps hasn’t been enough to improve Toronto’s fortunes. Through 46 games a year ago, the Leafs had 55 points. Two seasons ago, at the same point in the season, the Leafs had 51 points. This year, after Game 46, they’re stuck on 47 points. In the case of Bernier and Reimer, carrying this team to new heights appears to be beyond the powers of either of the two, which means there’s not a lot of sense in wearing out one.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.